Plan helps Douglas residents face hazards

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Flooding, earthquakes, wildland fire, drought and severe weather are the top five hazards faced by Douglas residents, as identified in the Douglas County hazard mitigation plan.

Residents will have two chances to hear about the plan next week as part of the process to update the plan, one in Minden on Monday and the other in Zephyr Cove on Thursday.

The sessions are being hosted by Douglas County Emergency Management, as provided by the East Fork Fire & Paramedic Districts.

The first meeting is 7 p.m. Monday at the East Fork Fire & Paramedic District Office, 1694 County Road, Minden. The second is at Tahoe Douglas Fire Station 3 at 193 Elks Point Road, Zephyr Cove 7 p.m. Thursday.

Under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, as amended by the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, local governments are required to develop a hazard mitigation plan as a condition for receiving certain types of emergency and nonemergency disaster assistance, including funding for mitigation projects and emergency response.

The plan must be approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and adopted by county commissioners. Commissioners adopted the last plan five years ago and the plan is due to be updated.

Hazard mitigation is any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from hazards, according to the district. Activities may be implemented prior to, during, or after an incident.

Officials said hazard mitigation is most effective when based on an inclusive, comprehensive, long-term plan that is developed before a disaster occurs.

“It is important to understand how much of the community can be affected by specific hazards and what the impacts would be on important community assets,” Emergency Manager and East Fork Fire Chief Tod Carlini said. “Over the past few months, several individuals with subject matter expertise have been reviewing and updated specific sections of the current plan.”

Following the public process and a review by the Douglas County Local Emergency Planning Committee, the final plan will be prepared and sent to the Nevada Department of Emergency Management, followed by a review by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Once approved by FEMA, the plan will go to county commissioners for adoption on Oct. 17.

Anyone with questions regarding the plan update may contact the district at 782-9040.